A very good reason for coming to France
France is world famous for its wines, although in recent years it has suffered much competition from the New World and South America.
However, for really great wines, France remains the destination. For most of us, however, these great wines are beyond the reach of our pockets.
Much has been written about French wines, from Alsace to Bordeaux, via Champagne, Chablis, Burgundy and the many other Appelation Controlées, as well as the Vins du Pays which are steadily improving in quality.
Here, we introduce you to the wine of the Bugey. The bugey is a small area of the département of the Ain, nestling in the bend of the River Rhône between Lyon and Geneva. The main town is Belley, birthplace of the famous french food writer Brillat-Savarin.
The area is semi-mountainous, reaching 1500m (5000 feet) at it's high point, Grand Colombier. Vines are grown to about 450m altitude, and the steep slopes ensure plenty of sun for ripening.
The traditional grape variety of the area is the Altesse, used to produce the wine known as Rousette, a nearly dry and fruity white.
Chardonnay is much grown, and produces a dry and fruity white, with variations from one grower to another. The chardonnay is also used to produce a sparkling wine, known as Montagnieu, after the principal village of its production. Made by the méthode traditionnelle, like champagne, it is a very good alternative to its vastly more expensive cousin.
The native red wine is the Mondeuse, a dark, intense peppery wine ideally suited to drinking with game, preferably a civet of locally shot sanglier, wild boar
Other reds are produced, notably Pinot (which is the grape variety of Red Burgundy) and Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais). Both wines are light and fruity.
Travelling stills still enable people to distil their own digestifs - mostly from pears and plums, as well as the ubiquitous marc, made from the skins and pips of the grapes after pressing.
For more information on wines of the region: vinsdubugey.net
Santé!